03 - Sarah Laukles

John was in shock; something was wrong. He went up to his room and began packing his bags; he couldn’t stay another second in that place. Where was the man who was madly in love with his wife? The one who gave up his own child to have his beloved back? Now he had come to his senses and realized things were not as he had imagined. John grabbed a leather suitcase and packed his belongings. He walked to the door of his room, looked back, sighed, and left. Something told him that this would be his last time in that vast house. The corridor was silent; he turned around and went back to the room. Something told him he should take the book, the "Tartrio" book. The book was no longer there.

"Where is that damned book? Argh, I need to find it!"

He searched for a long time but found nothing. Linie had taken the book. He calmed down and made his way back to the hall. When John arrived at the hall, he turned to the grand room and spoke with a sad and dry voice.

"Well... I will miss you! I promise I will return someday."

Tears streamed from his eyes; he wiped them with a green cloth and then grabbed his suitcase, opened the door, and left. The house seemed to sense that John would never return. Everything felt sorrowful. The moon was now covered by clouds. An owl flew overhead, hooting. When John reached the entrance gate, he opened it and walked calmly down the deserted street filled with mansions.

Peny, Manahara, Marc, and Linie materialized in front of a massive wooden palace. They entered and proceeded to a hall that seemed to be a throne room. Seated there was a robust man with a Latin appearance and five crows flying over his head. The four entered with measured, calculated steps, and upon reaching the man, Peny, Manahara, and Marc bowed and said:

"Your Highness, here she is."

The man placed his hand on his chin and looked sharply at Linie, showing a look of doubt, and then spoke to Peny.

"She is very valuable; take her to the quarters."

Peny, Manahara, and Marc were about to take Linie away when the man in the chair spoke.

"Not you, Miss Burya. We need to discuss the artifact."

Peny gave orders for the others to proceed, and she remained there, standing in front of the man. Peny ran her hand through her hair, which began to turn a purple hue. Then she snapped her fingers, and a cloud of black smoke appeared behind her. When the smoke dispersed, there was a brown stool with several black cords wrapped around it. She sat down, crossed her legs, and maintained an upright posture.

"Well, Your Highness. I have the book. I took it from the transformed one while we were traveling here. It seems to be the much-valued book. It wasn’t very hard to obtain; she’s quite foolish."

The man looked at her with a macabre smile and spoke with a tone of satisfaction.

"Very well, dear, I see you are doing your job well. Don’t tell those idiots in the tribunal about the book; they mustn't know, or we will have a significant problem on our hands."

Peny pushed her hair from her eyes, gave a sweet laugh, and spoke with a rigid, cold voice.

"Of course, my lord. Those old fools in the tribunal don’t suspect a thing. They are too naïve to suspect it. They think the book is a legend, that no one could ever obtain it. They believe I alone managed to transform the mortal’s wife. They have no idea he had the help of the book."

The man grew serious and a bit angry. He placed his hands on his head and spoke with a snort.

"What? You idiot! Do you have any idea what that woman will be capable of? This was what I feared. For centuries I’ve tried to prevent something of this scale, and you end up aiding it. Do you remember what happened the last time this book was used for transformations? We nearly went extinct!"

She looked at him and pulled out a baby from her umbrella, who was smiling and dressed in black clothing.

"My dear, this was the price he paid to transform his wife. I couldn’t refuse. It’s too good to be true."

"A child? He paid with a child? Well, I know the offer is tempting, but you could have refused. I believe history will repeat itself. And you are to blame."

The man sighed and brought his hand to his left wrist. After this gesture, he transformed into a black crow. He flew out of the castle, disappearing from Peny’s view.

John had walked several kilometers until he found a small hut made of straw in the middle of a silent forest. It seemed as if no life had ever been there. No animals roamed, and there was only the hut. The light from the fireplace was shining through the small, crooked window of the hut. A young woman was opening the door when she suddenly saw John and quickly shut the wooden door.

"Miss? I’m lost. Can you help me? Please!"

John walked to the small door of the hut and knocked. A few seconds later, he heard a sweet voice.

"Get out of here, who are you?! Leave!"

John was perplexed by her reaction and said, "I’m lost. Can you take me in? I’ve been wandering for hours."

The young woman calmly opened the door and sighed in relief. Her eyes were gray, she had yellow hair with a flower crown on her head, a small mouth, and was dressed in a beautiful brown and white peasant dress. She took a few steps forward and said:

"Fortunately, you are not one of those hunters."

John, a bit confused, looked at her, placed his suitcase on the ground with some hesitation, and said:

"Of course, I’m not a hunter. And why would such a beautiful young lady like you fear hunters? As far as I know, they hunt animals!"

She looked at him sharply and said with confidence and a hint of guilt on her face:

"I think it’s better for you to come in. It’s not safe outside at this time of night; hunters tend to attack."

John remained confused, scratched his head, and sat in a small chair near the door.

"Miss, but hunters hunt animals, not people. Explain that to me."

She looked at him with compassionate eyes, reflecting the innocence in John.

"For a long time, they have inhabited this forest, known as hunters. They roam around here looking for people to tear their hearts out. The legend says they eat the heart, and the person’s soul is trapped. It’s terrifying to think about. Mama said that Papa was taken by one of them. So, I’m sure they are real."

John’s heart filled with guilt as he knew what the poor girl was talking about. But he knew that the “Tartrios” hunters could enter people’s homes in just a puff of smoke.

"But how do you protect your home? I think if they wanted your heart, they would already be here."

She narrowed her eyes with a hint of apprehension and chose to remain silent, gazing at John with a calm and sweet expression.

"What’s your name?" John asked.

"I’m Sarah, Sarah Laukles. And you?"

"I’m John, just John."

Sarah looked at him with some doubt and asked if he wanted tea. They talked for a while until John settled in a corner of the wall and fell asleep. Sarah lay down on a small bed that resembled a stone. By morning, John was completely refreshed. Sarah had gone to pick fruits from the trees. He got up and washed his face in a basin with a little water, then walked to the door. Sarah was carrying a straw basket with some apples inside. She looked at him with a smile and waved; he returned the wave and walked towards her.

"Do you live alone?"

"Yes, my mother died a few years ago and told me not to leave this place because the world outside is very different from before, and hunters take advantage to attack. I love living here, even though there are no animals. I feel accompanied by the beautiful trees."

"Why are there no animals here? After all, it’s a forest. It should be teeming with animals."

Sarah smiled with a touch of irony and told him that the forest was cursed, and every animal that crossed the city limits and lived there ended up dying. John felt that there was something Sarah wasn’t telling him, something darker about her past.

John then picked an apple, took a bite, and asked with his mouth full of yellow fruit pieces:

"Can I stay here for a while? I have nowhere to go. I believe you are a kind person."

Sarah looked at him, lowered her eyes, and said in a trembling, sad, and dry voice:

"You... Of course, you can."

She then turned and walked towards a small stream. There were no fish, only crystal-clear water and several shining pebbles at the bottom. Sarah asked John to return to the hut and that she would bring food in a few hours so they could eat. John turned and walked calmly. Sarah watched him quietly, and when he entered the hut, she began to cry.

"I am a beautiful fool."